Mopalwar extortion case: Cops find 500 RTI applications at accused detective’s home

The police suspect that he was using the RTI applications to blackmail Mopalwar

Over 500 Right to Information (RTI) applications have been found at private detective Satish Mangale’s house during a house search. Mangale was arrested last month for allegedly trying to extort money from IAS officer Radheshyam Mopalwar.

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The applications pertain to the various government departments, which he had filed in last couple of years.

“It is suspected that he was using the RTI applications to blackmail Mopalwar,” said a police officer.

On November 02, the Thane Anti-Extortion Cell arrested Private detective Satish Mangale, 27, and his 26-year-old wife, for allegedly trying to extort Rs7 crore from an IAS officer Radheshyam Mopalwar.

Mangale was arrested accepting Rs1 crore from Dombivli, and based on this information, the police arrested his wife Shraddha and brother-in-law Atul Gawde,27.

The heaps of documents were found from their flat in Dombivli. After sorting through the files, police found several applications made with various departments about different issues, but are not connect to the case. “We are verifying the RTIs, which have been seized,” said a police officer from Thane anti-extortion cell.

He added, “We also found that he used to gift high-end mobile phones to celebrities and businessman. To file the RTIs, Mangale used his father or second wife’s name. Some of the RTI documents might have been used for the extortion, and we are analyzing the documents to verify the same.”

Magale has been sent to judicial custody, and if required, they will be called for the investigation the officer said.